Not so helpless
by cucumbersaregreen
Summary: Adopted from The Purple Eyed Fox / Your bedroom is turned to a storing shed by some sarcastic stranger, your godfather and friends are up to mischief and you've got a crush on a redhead? Man my life is screwed! WARNING! Sarcasm abound! AU before OOTP; manipulative!Dumbledore; Hermione Ron bashing.
1. Chapter 1

****A/N: Before you start complaining, no, I didn't steal this story. I adopted it with the consent of it's former author ******The Purple Eyed Fox ******(you rock!)****** who uploaded it here on under the same name. So if you want to read the original beginning of this story (it's only 2 chaps, but it's so totally worth it!) you'll probably still find it on his/or her (I never asked, uh this is embarrassing! If you're reading this, I'm sorry! *hides behind her laptop*) Profile page. I changed a few things, but the plot's the same ...**

**Warnings: there will be major Dumbles, Hermione(my favourite character in Canon, BTW) and Ron-bashing **

**Pairings: HP/GW, NL/LL, RL/OC, SB/OC**

**Disclaimer: I'm BATMAN! No, just kidding, I'm the Evil Easter Bunny of DOOM and I know that J.K. Rowling wrote HP, because, well, I munched her. She was quite tasty actually.**

**Uh, what else could I say, euh, yeah, please don't mind any grammar and spelling errors, neither me nor my spell check program is perfect. In case of the spell check program that's just sad, but in my case it's not really shocking!**

**Enjoy and REVIEW when you're done or else ... (insert something worthy of the Evil Easter Bunny of DOOM here) Ohh, how I love to threaten people!**

**Chapter One**

**The trunk-shaped package contains indeed a trunk**

I told them it was stupid.

I told them it was maddening.

I told them I was downright _pissed_.

And yet they _still _wouldn't give me any information.

It's been two weeks! And _still_, all I get is _We'll see you soon_! Whenever that is. Probably right after the Apocalypse! I was on the verge of sending them several long letters of the rudest cusses I had ever heard, and I knew quite a lot, courtesy of Peeves, Vernon and a few street kids I happened to like.

And to top it all off, I had to hear from the _Daily Prophet _that Sirius was free. Oh no, lets not tell Harry, it's too much information to hear his once fugitive godfather is free.

I can't believe Sirius didn't write a letter to me himself.

That's what hurt.

Not the lack of info or the crazy, horrifying dreams of watching Cedric die.

It was my godfather not even _bothering _to write to me _at all_. Okay, I guess, he _might've _been placed into a holding cell until the trial. And _maybe _he wanted to keep it a surprise.

Even though I was rather upset, Sirius was off the hook.

Ron and Hermione _weren't_.

I mean _they _were the ones pissing me off. Even if Dumbledore told them so, _I_ was their _best friend_, or are you telling me they've found out that old men make better friends than someone that saved their skins from plenty of nasty things?

Stupid, isn't it?

I threw Hermione's letter from yesterday down and stalked out of my bedroom, out the front door (without a word to the Dursley's) and onto the street. Stupid friends, stupid Ministry, stupid Voldemort, stupid Dumbledore…life in general is stupid. Great, now I'm sounding like a stupid whining child.

I really need to find another word than stupid, but it sounds kind of nice, doesn't it? Stu-pid ...

I was pulled out of my inner monologue when I heard the customary footsteps behind me. Sounded like the klutzy girl.

Dumbledore's having me followed, just in case ickle Harry gets into trouble. Too bad his evil minions…ahem, his _associates_ are damn pathetic at being invisible. _Even _while under an Invisibility Cloak. That shouldn't even be possible, but somehow they still manage!

Maybe I should turn around and tell her if she's going to follow me around she better be quiet…

…nah, I'm having too much fun.

I vaulted myself over the locked park gate and sat down on one of the swings. I slightly rocked myself back and forth. I nearly burst out laughing when I heard klutzy trip, trying to get over the park fence, although I shouldn't be laughing at someone else's pain.

I really didn't know why I went there. It was boring, sweltering hot and dry as parchment. The browned grass was burning my feet although I had shoes on and I _swear _I could cook an egg on myself right now.

I saw the swing next to me sink a bit and a knew clumsy chick had sat down. My amusement from earlier had disappeared to be replaced with irritation.

"Stupid Dumbledore." I said, loud enough for her to hear. "Him and his school. Him – and – and EVERYTHING!"

I yelled so loud that some birds flew out of their hiding places on an old oak tree standing close by. Thinking of Dumbledore pissed me off _badly _these days. It got me yelling. I even yelled at him in my sleep, and it scared the Dursley's off, which did me good.

I started muttering threats under my breath, hoping to scare her off. She shuffled away from me a bit, but didn't leave. I started muttering louder and more fiercely.

Wow this woman's got stamina.

Maybe I should start talking about burning down buildings? Nah, I don't want to look like a pyromaniac.

I got up and started walking towards the gate. I vaulted over once more, suppressing a snicker as I heard the gate creak open. Looks like she's scared of making a louder noise than that.

I walked further up the road and stopped at the corner. There was a short cut to the Dursley's house not far, and I could definitely outrun this chick following me.

I waited until I could hear her panting before suddenly sprinting down the street, over two fences and under a hedge. I could literally _hear_ her scream out in frustration. I was laughing all the way to the Dursley's.

Opening the front door, I ran upstairs and into my room, slamming the door behind me. Chortling, I turned to my desk. Only it didn't look like a desk anymore. I gaped at the packages, bigger than my head (and most bigger than my body). I could make out something that looked kind of like a trunk, but nothing more. Some that were too big for the desk or the spaces around it were on the bed or floor.

On the top of it all was a letter. It all looked innocent enough, except for the obvious fact that it wasn't. I slowly took a few steps forward, my hand reaching out to grab the letter. My hand stopped just an inch away. Biting my lip, and hoping the letter wasn't cursed, I picked it up.

When I didn't drop dead, I took a closer look at the letter. With a final burst of confidence I tore it open and started reading the it.

_Greetings,_

_I'm sure you're wondering why your room has suddenly turned into a storing shed. These things are important, and will help you immensely. How? Good question._

_But I'm not the right person to explain that. You see the trunk-shaped package? Right, well guess what it is? Yes! You're right the _trunk_-shaped package contains a _trunk_. If you open the lid, it looks like a normal, albeit fancy one with drawers and compartments and the like._

_When you close the lid, tap it and say what compartment you want to go to._

_1 – Books (because the normal one is default)_

_2 – Potions and Ingredients (you'll find this well stocked)_

_3 – Weaponry (this is explained with the instruction manual)_

_4 – Apartment_

_Ah, now I've piqued your interest. Yes, inside is an apartment that is lavishly decorated and fully equipped for your needs. Yes, food is there. You'll have to explore, because there are two stories (again, read the manual for instructions and explanations). There is a kitchen, several bedrooms, a bathroom for each bedroom, a dueling chamber, five greenhouses, two dueling rooms (one for magic, one for weapons), a pool, a potions lab, and maybe a few other things._

_Now, you're probably thinking "What by Merlin's panties?" or something along those lines. Well, you know what? READ THE MANUAL! Before you start tearing things open like there's no tomorrow, however, I need you to open the small, long package underneath this letter and put the charm on. Otherwise you won't be able to open the trunk. Or use your hands for the rest of your life._

I stopped reading. The letter floated down to the floor, where it promptly transformed into an instruction manual.

The first thought running through my mind?

!

Yep, that's right.

!

Then there was suddenly an explosion in it so big I was shocked my brains didn't splatter on the walls around me. I slowly picked up the parcel the person who wrote the letter was talking about.

Hesitantly, I tore off the packaging and opened the lid of the box.

The necklace itself was silver, silky and thin, and I realized it was ribbon. The charm was large and perfectly circular. Gold and flat backed, the only mark was a pure black tribal dragon on the front.

I stared at it for a moment. Well, it's now or never, isn't it? I slipped it over my head.

Nothing seemed to change, except my world was much more colourful and detailed than it had been before. Then I started tearing the paper off the next box. Every time all the wrappings fell off a box, it would transfigure itself into an instruction manual. When I'd had a good look inside the box I would place the manual back in and place the box to the side.

Weapons (bows, arrows, swords, daggers etc), books, useful potions ingredients, Muggle clothes and robes, more necklaces (for other people who I trust, use with caution, blah blah blah), armor, wands (huh?), more books and other handy items. What intrigued me most was the familiar eggs (that's what he-who-sent-me-all-that-stuff called them in his manual).

There were four of them. One was red and orange speckled, another was green and brown. The blue one was a deep colour with a darker blue mixed in, making it look like waves. The last one was white and cream, and had strange swirls, like blowing wind.

I liked the last one the most.

When I managed to unwrap all of them (which took up most of my day), I turned to my trunk. Clearing my throat, I tapped my wand on it and said "Four."

The trunk opened and showed a set of stairs and a slide that looked like it was built for boxes. I grinned and sighed in relief. I started loading boxes onto the slide. They slid down automatically and I didn't hear any crashing so they hadn't spilled their contents on touch-down. I sent the eggs last, because I was scared to crack them.

Before I could walk down, however, Hedwig and a school owl soared through the open window. Damn stupid people, always writing at the wrong moments.

The school owl ruffled it's feathers pompously and took flight out the window. Hedwig nibbled my finger affectionately and flew to her perch. Sticking her leg out, she waited for me to take the letters. There were six of them. I untied them and opened the first one, which was from Hermione.

Hers and Ron's were the same old boring drabbles as usual. The next one was from Sirius. My hopes rocketed to the sky.

_Harry,_

_I'm sorry I haven't been able to get in touch. Have you seen the Daily Prophet? If you have, you'll probably know that I'm FREE! If not, I'll give you a moment to recover._

_Recovered?_

_Good. The offer still stands; do you want to come live with me? I already have a house now, out in the country, with large fields and lots of privacy. And you can fly on your _Firebolt_, too. I've got wards up so you can do magic all you like. Of course, if you don't want to…?_

_Remus stays here too (y'know, Prof. Lupin, Moony, The "Wise" One). I tell him to set up permanent residence (he stays here most of the time, anyways), but he keeps saying no. That idiot things he'd be a burden! Can you believe that? You'd expect him to be the smart one! Without him we'd be in constant trouble if you decide to come!_

_I guess I'm rambling __a bit__!_

_Reply soon!_

_Sirius_

My breath hitched as I read the letter over and over again. I really couldn't believe it! No Dursley's, living with my godfather, privacy, Quidditch and magic; all in one go?

I knew Fate can't be a cruel bitch all the time.

I hastily scribbled a reply.

_Sirius_

_Yes, of course! You don't even have to ask! I'm jumping up and down and squealing like a hyper fan girl!_

…_okay, that was dramatic … but SO true!_

_Harry_

I folded it up and placed it back into it's envelope. The next letter was from Ginny, surprisingly. I grinned.

_Harry,_

_Yes, your eyes aren't deceiving you. I'm writing. To you. And the world isn't ending!_

_I just wanted to know how you are, what you're doing and if Neville and I can visit you when you go to live with Sirius. Yeah , I KNOW you're going to say yes!_

_Ron and Hermione are being right prats. They've joined the O**** (sorry, but I'm not allowed to write it down in a letter, but I'll tell you why and what I mean as soon as we're invited to Sirius') and think I'm lower down than them. Fred and George aren't as mean about it, but they don't say anything to me anymore. I'm bored out of my mind._

_One of my friend, Luna's here, too. She says hi. She's in my year and a Ravenclaw. So, if you don't mind me and Neville coming over, can Luna come, too? _

_Love,_

_Ginny_

Neville was there? Cool! And Luna…hm, didn't I hear her name mentioned briefly?

_Ginny,_

_Sure, I wouldn't mind the company. Sirius might act like a teenager, but he's got the energy of an old man. Just don't tell him I said that, I'd end like the Nearly-Headless Nick! I'm fine, bored brainless, though. Hey, I know Dumbledore's having me followed, so tell that klutzy girl that she sucks at being sneaky, no offence, of course._

_What I'm doing ? Well, I tired that klutz I told you about out and then when she closed up to me, sprinted through several shortcuts. I could HEAR her scream out in frustration._

_I know, it was mean, but it was _so_ worth it._

_See you whenever I can,_

_Harry_

Neville's was the same as Ginny's, although he said that Ginny was driving him insane. So I addressed Ginny's to Neville (and Luna, as well) and opened the last letter from Hedwig.

_Harry,_

_I'm sure you've opened Sirius's letter before mine (you better have, or I'll owe him three galleons), so I'm sure you know he's free. If you haven't already read it in the Prophet. They're having a field day, raving on about how stupid everyone was for believing that he was guilty and trying to cover up that they were the first to blame him 13 years ago!_

_But anyways, I'll be picking you up this afternoon at five, so keep yourself ready. And COMPLETELY packed._

_Best wishes,_

_Remus_

I turned to face the clock. So that gave me half an hour to pack.

"Shit!" I muttered and started throwing everything across the room. Missing the new trunk more often than not. I took down the posters and picked up the clothes and emptied the loose floorboard under my bed. I searched for my schoolbooks; I stole the books from the bookshelf that was left in here from Dudley (he won't notice).

When I checked the clock, I had repaired two years before again I noticed that I had only five minutes left. After flipping through the trunk instruction manual, I merged the two trunks (Dumbledore's minions won't notice a thing). Shoving that back in the trunk, I searched for any objects, that I might've missed, not really being keen on having to return for anything. When I found nothing, I sent Hedwig out with the letters before finally relaxing the second the doorbell rang.

I pounded downstairs, just as Aunt Petunia opened the door. She stood stock-still and looked ready to call for me when I said "I'm here!"

"Oh, good." She sniffed.

"You packed?" Remus asked.

"Ayep!"

"The Cloak?"

"Mmhm."

"The Map?"

"Of course!"

"Good." He said.

"I'll just go up and get my trunk and I won't see you again, no matter how much I'm asked." I told Petunia, grinning brightly.

I ran up and pulled the handle on the trunk. Sprinting back downstairs, I gave the frozen Dursley's a cheery "Goodbye!" and dragged Remus away from the house.

"Someone had too much sugar."

"Yep! How are we getting where we're going?"

"Knight Bus."

"Oh joy." I said sarcastically.

"I see you've travelled on it before."

I flung out my wand arm.

BANG!

A large, purple, three-decker bus was standing there. Remus raised an eyebrow.

"After you." I grinned.

We chose our seats (mine right next to something I could clutch) and we set off. It wasn't as bad as last time, and I laughed real hard when Remus fell off his seat for the third time. He scowled half-heartedly at me, but looked like he was secretly enjoying himself.

"So," Stan started, grinning at me. "'Ow you bin, 'Arry? I 'aven't seen you round for ages!"

"I've been fine. Brilliant, really. Much better than when you last saw me." I said conversationally.

We both laughed in reminiscence. Remus stared at me questionably. I recounted the tale of blowing up Marge to him, and in the end, me, him, Stan and the people who and heard the story were in stitches.

"T-that's priceless!" choked one guy beside me, clapping me on the back.

I grinned and told them about my other funny mishaps with magic. It was fair to say that when we reached our destination we were feeling light-headed and grinning like idiots.

"BYE STAN!" I shouted as the bus BANG!ed away.

"Come on, Harry. I think Ginny, Neville and Luna are waiting for you." Remus urged, dragging me this time. He seemed to want to avoid the subject of Ron and Hermione.

Good.

I wanted to too.

I just managed to grab my trunk. Remus looked like he could skip.

"_Someone _had too much sugar!" I laughed, rushing ahead. "Hurry up, old man!"

"I'm not an old man! Remus yelled, catching up to me at first, but then falling back bit by bit.

"Come on!" I grinned when he started slowing down so much that he was nearly running backwards.

"Alright, I give up. You win!" he surrendered, panting.

"No way! Hurry up or I'll ask Fred and George to use their products on you!"

"Please!"

"That's just slow, old man."

He tried hexing me, but I dodged.

"Come _on_." I cried. I started dragging him along the path. He groaned but complied.

Soon we arrived at a country looking house. It was an orange peach colour, with a brown shingled roof and the front door and window frames were painted in the colour of mud (no disgusting mud, nice mud).

All around us were pastures. A hill close by had a large tree with sweeping branches that almost touched the ground. It looked like the perfect relaxing and spell practising place. There was a stable out near the back of the house. Why did we need a stable? Well, horse riding was a good skill to know, so I wouldn't be the one complaining.

And leaning against the door frame of the house was my grinning godfather.

"Sirius!"

**Only evil minions of death and destruction get Christmas presents! And they normally review! So get one step closer to getting something for Christmas by writing into that beautiful box below and pressing the button that says "Post Review"!**


	2. Chapter 2

****You'd think teachers would realize when they're annoying you half to death, but one very ignorant Spanish teacher doesn't seem to be human or just smart enough to do that. It's not difficult! Just open your eyes and see how I'm blowing you up in my mind every time you strut back and forth between two buildings trying to seem important! It's just not cool to have to look at you while staring off into space during free periods. I know my rights! And one of it is free-and-teacherless-off-into-space-staring! ****

****I just had to say that, sorry! He's driving me insane! He isn't even my teacher anymore, you know. I quit Spanish and one of my many reasons was that he is the worst teacher I ever had.****

****Okay, no, he isn't that bad actually, but, you know, everyone has that one teacher he absolutely can't stand … don't you?****

****Thank you, for your nice reviews and to those who bother to follow this story!****

****Now on to the second chapter:****

****.****

**Chapter Two**

****Explanations and Exclamations****

****.****

Dropping my trunk, I ran over to Sirius and hugged him fiercely. He laughed and ruffled my hair.

"Hey kid!"

Behind me, Remus pouted.

"How come I never receive that welcome?"

Sirius eyes flickered past me and his grin turned mischievous.

"Why Harry, I think Moony here craves physical contact." His grin turned even wider. "But every time I tell him to get laid he says he's just fine."

When I turned around, Remus' face was bead red and he was shaking his head, mumbling something about stupid ruddy dogs under his breath.

"You're probably right, Padfoot, but I guess he's in denial."

Still grumbling on, Remus pushed past Sirius and into the house, slumping down onto one of the kitchen chairs that were visible from the front door.

Laughing happier than I'd ever heard him do Sirius picked up my trunk and followed Remus into the kitchen and I skipped merrily after him. I hadn't felt this good in ages!

In front of me, to the left, was the kitchen. Benches with dark polished tops (although I could see a dark black mark that looked suspiciously like a mini explosion had happened there not long ago) and a long table stood in an empty area near a stove. Sitting on the chairs were Ginny, Neville and another girl, who had according to Remus come over from the Burrow for a day.

Ginny's hair that was the customary Weasley red/orange and reached her mid back, had been tied back loosely with a black ribbon. Her skin was pale and a freckles were scattered across her nose. Bright brown eyes were studying a little hole in the table top.

Neville had grown a little over the last two weeks. His dark brown, almost black hair was a bit shaggier, but he still looked the same. Cloudy blue eyes, a slightly pale complexion and a sort of bulky frame.

The second girl, who I guessed was Luna, had wavy, dirty blonde hair, which was pulled back in a braid. Her eyes which were probably twice the size of mine, had an eery silvery colour and even though looking slightly absent had the same pricing quality that Dumble's always seemed to posses. She was slender and a little shorter than Ginny, wore orange radishes on her ears and a necklace with a single Butterbeer cork around her neck.

"Hey guys!" I chirped, making all but Luna jump, whose eyes didn't waver from something apparently incredibly interesting somewhere in mid-air.

"Hello Harry." She said vaguely.

"Harry!" Ginny cried, jumping up and throwing over her chair in the process. "You prat! You nearly gave me a heart-attack!" She held a hand to her heart and waved the other one in front of her face, like a damsel in distress, but grinned widely at me.

"I've been known to do that." I shrugged, walking around the table to stand next to Neville.

"Since when?" Neville asked, a slight grin on his face. I folded my arms over my chest, and pouted at him.

"Since four days ago."

Remus, Ginny and Neville laughed, while Luna smiled slightly and finally turned around to look at me, her silver eyes shining with amusement. Sirius who had just come back from upstairs, where he had vanished to while I entered the kitchen looked around with a confused expression on his not at all gaunt features.

"What'd I miss."

Remus smiled, eyes glinting. "Nothing you'd understand, Padfoot."

Sirius gasped in mock horror.

"Oi! I resent that!"

"Let's show you to your room." Shaking her head at the (not so) grown-up's antics Ginny grabbed my wrist and pulled me up the carpeted stairs, Sirius had just descended. They were situated directly right of the kitchen and lead up to the second floor. From a small indoors veranda upstairs, you had a good view of the kitchen and could pour water onto the people directly below you (not that I would ever do that).

There were two rooms to the right, and two more to the left. The stairs ended into a wide hallway, which made a sharp turn, where it probably lead into Sirius's room and the one Remus slept in when he was over. The idiot should just move in the whole way. He and his obsession with supposedly being a burden. There were probably more rooms in this house than in the Dursley's, because even though it _looked _small from the outside, in the inside it could easily hold a _lot __more people, than those who were currently occupying it. Remus ___included___. Probably some kind of magic at work, there._

Ginny opened the first door to the right. My trunk stood in a corner, where Sirius had probably put it. The room was bigger than the one Dudley had at Privet Drive. It had white walls and was entirely undecorated. The furniture was simple, but clean. A bed with fitting nightstand, a wardrobe and a desk with a comfy looking chair, someone, probably Remus had even laid some parchment, ink, and a few bright pink quills onto it.

"Okay, Sirius told me that there's a charm on the room that allows you to choose what you want it to look like. Just say modify and, well, use your imagination, if you have some, which I seriously doubt. I mean you were friends with _Hermione Granger_ and my dolt of a brother for four years." She explained, grinning, and pulling a face when she mentioned my former friends.

I glared at her in mock indignation.

She stared back.

We continued the staring contest until a voice nearly made us lose concentration.

"Finished? Cause you've been standing there for five minutes." I saw out of the corner of my eye how Sirius smirked at us from the doorway.

"It's a staring contest, Sirius. Honestly, you'd know enough about them, considering you glared at the stove for ten minutes straight without blinking." Ginny said, not ever moving her head an inch.

After a while, I couldn't take the strain any more.

"Alright!" I cried, throwing my hands up in the air, in a sign of resignation. "I give up! You win!"

She smirked triumphantly.

"Of _course_. Nobody _ever _wins against _me_." She said arrogantly.

"I'll make it my job to beat you, then." I said in the exact same tone. She snorted.

"Right, and pigs fly," She said, then added hastily when I opened my mouth. "On _their own_!"

I pouted.

"That's not fair! I bet that I'd be able to get one to fly." With a pensive look I stared out of the window that showed the spacious back garden, perfect for Quidditch practice. "With mechanical wings that should be possible. Just a twinge of magic." I mumbled to myself, but she still heard it and shook her head.

"Nope. No cheating! Still wanna bet?" She asked and put out her hand Sirius had been staring at us incredulously during the whole conversation, but snapped out of it when Ginny extended her hand and before I could utter an answer he cried.

"Hey! There will be no betting without my consent in this house!"

"Ohh, come on Sirius." Ginny and I whined simultaneously.

"You two are just _weird_."

"But you love us for it, right?" We continued at the same time.

"Okay, I might give you my blessing, but you've gotta let me help you, Harry. You'd be lost without me! I can't let the son of a Marauder, the godson of another one and the honorary nephew of a third loose against a _girl._"

I grinned, while Ginny paled a bit. Her voice sounded a bit less enthusiastic when she talked again.

"Bet against you two?" After a bit of consideration, a huge grin split her face in two and yelled "Heck, yeah!" Nodded eagerly and shook my hand the same way Percy did it the summer before 3rd year. Why by Merlin's saggy knickers do I have to remember that? Why not something interesting, like everything Dumbles ever said about Mouldy Pants? Why this? Breaking me out of my inner monologue of misery Sirius shook his head again.

"You really are a pair of nutters!"

"And you're not?" we quipped simultaneously.

"Yeah, but I admit it freely." He said airily. Ginny and I stared at each other, horrified.

"NO! You can't just _admit it_!" we shrieked.

"I have, and I will."

"Run, Harry! RUN! He's _**WEIRD**_!"

We ran away, laughing, jumped down several steps at ones and landed in the kitchen nearly stumbling over one of the benches. We dragged Neville and Luna after us as we sprinted through a door into a comfy living room, through it and then the back door, leaving a confused Remus, who apparently just had had a quite lively conversation with Luna in our wake.

"Whoa, what are we running from?" Neville exclaimed, laughing as we tripped over each other and our own feet.

"I don't know!" I laughed, spinning around. Luna jumped in the air and fell backwards.

"YOUNG FOREVER!" Ginny yelled out randomly.

"RANDOMNESS!" I shouted.

"FREEDOM!" Neville cried.

"NARGLES!" Luna laughed.

"Yeah!" I exclaimed. "We can't forget the Nargles!"

We collapsed onto the grass holding our stomachs from laughing too hard.

I loved it in that gigantic back yard with my friends and my godfather and his best friend watching us, leaning against a wooden table. It was standing on a little veranda we hadn't even noticed, that lead to where we were lying now in the middle of some kind of lawn.

No matter how strange the last fifteen minutes were, I've had the most fun time in ages.

Much more fun than with Ron and Hermione, who were always sulking and won't even try and dance around or Merlin forbid _laugh_.

"Whoo!" Ginny cried weakly, lifting her arms up and then letting them slump to the ground again. We chuckled softly, not even trying to get up. We weren't exhausted, Merlin help our health if we were, but have you ever just wanted to lie down and relax because you haven't in ages?

"Hey!" Ginny cried suddenly. "That cloud looks like a rabbit!"

We looked to what she was pointing at.

"Yeah, it does!" Neville said.

"I don't know." I said, squinting. "I think it looks like an upside-down turtle with a cape on."

Neville laughed loudly while Luna giggled. Ginny huffed.

"Rabbit."

"Turtle with a cape."

"Rabbit!"

"Turtle with a cape!"

"_Rabbit_!"

"_Turtlewithacape_!"

"Hey, that one looks like a chicken!" Luna's exclamation made us all laugh and start pointing out more weird shaped clouds.

"Hey, a flower!"

"Looks more like a lumpy potato with a tube sticking out of it."

"A Nargle!"

"What do Nargles look like?"

"They're small, fluffy and change colors so they can blend in with their surroundings. They usually inhabit Mistletoe."

"Wow, that's – hey, is that the Grim?"

And indeed, a giant Grim looking dog was floating by, slowly deforming. But the cloud was dark grey, and we never noticed the cool wind now rushing in.

"Hoo boy, we're getting a good storm!" I crowed, jumping up and grinning. Neville and Luna hopped up too, but Ginny stayed down. We turned to her.

"I don't like storms." She said quietly, blushing.

"Why not? Just imagine it as one of Fred and George's experiments gone wrong!"

"And how is that better?" she cried.

It soon began to get a lot more colder and we decided that it would be better for our health if we went back inside. We were just reaching the veranda when Neville said "I wonder if we can stay over."

We stared at him.

"That's the best idea ever!"

"Sleep over!" Luna said dreamily.

Neville blushed, but grinned. The prospect of having the company of my godfather, Remus, Neville, Ginny and Luna drove the trunk completely from my mind.

"You guys are finally back! I thought I'd have to drag you in!" Remus grinned when we came in, I hadn't even notice both him and Sirius leaving the veranda. He was reading the _Evening Prophet_. "Sirius can't cook, and I'm not any better, so I guess you can have the kitchen for tonight."

"Really?" I asked slyly and felt a slow smirk cross my face.

He sighed. "Don't make too much of a mess."

I dragged the others to the kitchen and said, "Can any of you cook?"

"You've seen me in Potions!" Neville snorted.

"I burn everything." Ginny admitted.

"My food ends up like water." Luna whispered vaguely.

"Okay, Neville, you can get the herbs and spices and what not and tell me what shouldn't be mixed." I ordered.

"Ginny, you're in charge of the gravy. Don't set it on fire." I warned, smirking. She whacked me over the head.

"Luna, can you bake?" At these words, she nodded absentmindedly. "Good. You can bake the pumpkin, the potatoes and whatever else. I'll be frying the chicken and doing the stuff that's left over."

"Yes, sir!" Neville and Ginny saluted while Luna smiled.

An hour or more later…

We were covered in raw chicken and pumpkin, and for some strange reason, flour (we didn't even use it! Oh…now I remember…) but beaming and serving fried chicken with roast pumpkin, potatoes and gravy with some nice and slightly spicy herbs.

"I smell food!" Sirius exclaimed, entering the room, kind of reminding me of Ron. Yuck, bad mental connection, very bad!

"Well there's no food here. So you can go back to your beauty nap." Ginny said, placing a plate in front of Remus.

"I was not napping. I was writing letters." He said defiantly, while we plopped down onto the seats adjacent to them.

"To who?" Remus asked, spearing a potato.

"Two certain friends of ours."

"Names…?"

"Grace and someone else." Sirius said mischievously, but still averting his eyes from Remus a bit sheepishly. I exchanged confused glances with the other three. What the hell were they going on about? Who's Grace?

"Wait…not…_Jenkins_?" Remus said slowly. Shock plastered all over his face.

"Erm…"

"Sirius, you didn't. Please tell me you didn't!"

"Yeah, I've written a letter to Alex…"

"About what?"

"Asking if she and Grace would like to – well, come over - and – "

_"__Sirius_!"

"Oh come on – "

"HELLO!" us four teenagers yelled.

"When you've finished fighting like a married couple…" I smirked at the two.

"We'd like to know who Alex and Grace are." Ginny finished my sentence for me.

"Alex is evil and insane and twisted – "

"Just because you like her – "

"Do _not_!" Remus blushed deeply, promptly contradicting his own statement

"Grace and Alex are two good friends of ours from Hogwarts. They were Lily's best friends. Alex is James's cousin –."

"I still can't believe that." Remus muttered.

"Oh, we'll have good fun!" Sirius said optimistically. His eyes gleaming in a frighteningly crazed light. Not an Azkaban craziness, more like a Marauder one.

I could already see the house in flames.

"Oh, by the way Sirius, we, meaning Neville, Luna, Harry and I, were wondering if we could stay over tonight?" Ginny asked eagerly. Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"What about Ron and Hermione?"

"They're being prats!" I said indignantly, realizing too late that I was sounding more like a three year old than my usual absolutely mature self. Note the sarcasm.

"Ron's been rude to me all summer. Going on how I'm useless and stuff." Neville added sounding a bit dejected. I patted his shoulder and he smiled at me.

"Hermione's been insulting me for believing Crumple-Horned Snorlacks exist." Luna said quietly.

"And they've both been making right idiots of themselves, acting like they know everything and what's good for Harry. They believed what Dumbledore was saying was right, and that Harry should have no communication over the summer and be stuck at that godforsaken house forever." Ginny finished calmly.

"Alright, just checking." Sirius didn't seem fazed at all, and rather more cheerful as he ate his dinner. Us amazingly great four exchanged looks during dinner, and when the other three went to go ask their parents and Remus went home (muttering about injustice or something like it), I turned to Sirius.

"How did you know Ron and Hermione were being gits all summer?"

Sirius sighed. "Well, it was hard not to see. They were worse than Snape –."

I shuddered. That wasn't supposed to be possible.

" – and going around, flaunting the fact that they were being specially trained – ."

"Whoa, whoa, back up buster. _Specially trained_?" I yelped.

Sirius looked surprised.

"They didn't tell you?"

"They never told me anything except be good, we'll tell you when we see you and saying writing to me was giving away too much information!" I cried. I was stunned. Four years and _this _is what I got for thanks? That's just ... _wrong_!

Sirius cursed under his breath and slumped deeper into his chair. I felt like storming over there and hexing them to Hell and back. I just needed a map to Hell and I would've been all set.

"Well," Sirius said at last. "They're being trained by three Aurors and Dumbledore himself –."

"Bastard." I muttered under my breath.

" – to be your apparent body-guards and whatnot –."

_"Body-guards_?" I hissed.

"– and they've been inducted into the Order so they're always in the meetings. Apparently they're the one's who saved the Philosophers Stone while you just followed them –."

I grit my teeth and forced myself to stay calm, thinking of the trunk and all the books and weapons it contained the first time since I got it. A loud clap of thunder rang though the air as rain started pouring out of the grey sky.

Is this why the sender, well…_sent _me all this stuff?

"_Followed them_." I pressed out through my clenched teeth. "Where did they get _that _crap from? I'm the only one who had the guts to go through the trapdoor first. I'm the one who faced the Dark Tosser. Who do they think they're playing?" I demanded, seething. The Floo suddenly flared and showed Ginny standing there with two bags.

"I've decided that I can't stand Ron anymore. I'm staying for a week, or more if I can." Ginny said, dropping her bags and then plunking down beside me. I moment later, Neville stumbled out. His bag was a bit larger than one of Ginny's, and seemed to bulge.

"Gran's gone away on a mission," he said apologetically. "It's either here or the Burrow and I will _not _go near that prat."

Luna came a few seconds afterwards, but rather than the dreamy aura she had had all day, she was fuming. Ginny and Neville looked shocked. Apparently it wasn't usual to see a pissed off Luna.

"I swear, if Granger even comes a _centimeter _near me, with her arrogance and know-it-all attitude, I will hex her into the next _century_." She ground out.

"So…" Sirius grinned. Wow, he _has_ to teach me how to act all cheery while facing the horrible disasters that were my former friends! I could use it on Mouldy Shorts. "It looks like we have probably permanent members of the household."

"Is that alright?" Luna asked uncertainly.

"Sure. I have to start work as an Auror tomorrow. Remus will probably be hiding at his house until he knows for certain that Alex isn't coming over, so no one's going to be alone, which works out perfectly." He clapped his hands and checked the time.

"Okay, it's seven thirty." He said.

"Sirius, I could've looked at the clock to know that." Said Neville, surprisingly. Looks like he's gaining more confidence.

Sirius pouted and threw him a hurt glance.

"Lets go unpack." Luna suggested, heaving her sky blue bag onto her shoulder. I nodded and picked up one of Ginny's bags.

"What did you _pack_?" I exclaimed, examining the for his weight suspiciously small bag. "A circus?"

Ginny laughed and swung her hair behind her back. We carried the bags up the stairs and into my room.

"You haven't even changed it yet." Luna shook her head, disappointed at the white room. I rolled my eyes. Hm, what do I like most…the sky? Nah, too much white. Gryffindor common room? Too much like Ron and Hermione. Forbidden Forest? Do I _want _to have nightmares?

I grinned as a thought came to mind. "Modify." I said clearly, and pictured the rolling hills around us, the swaying tree, and even added a lake, just to break it up. The single bed in the corner gained a canopy of green, drooping leaves, while the bedspread became grassy. Everything made of wood became tree like, and things that weren't made of wood turned green or brown.

Neville whistled appreciatively. "Looks wicked."

I just grinned and flopped down on my bed. The others lay out blankets and pillows and sleeping bags which made my room look like the great hall after Sirius had attempted to break into the Gryffindor common room.

"Could you boys get out so we can get changed?" Ginny asked sweetly.

"I don't mind staying." I smirked. I ducked as a pillow came flying towards my head and ran out of the room.

"Alright, alright! We're out!" Neville yelped as another pillow hit him straight in the head and Luna pumped her fist in victory.

We glared at the door when it closed, then sighed and slumped against the wall.

"I hope they don't _take too long_!" I said loudly and then mumbled to Neville who was now sitting on the ground "Vicious women!". I jumped as a loud BANG made the wall that I was sitting against vibrate.

"Especially when they're wasting time throwing things at the wall!" Neville shouted at the door. "It sounds like they're using furniture as munition!" I added. The door opened briefly and even more pillows were thrown at us.

"HEY!"

"We resent that!"

"SHUT UP!" came the two female voices.

Fifteen minutes later…

"Come _on_!" I shouted, just as Sirius walked up the stairs.

"How long have you been sitting there?" he asked, smirking.

"Dunno. It certainly feels like a lifetime!" Neville groaned, banging his fist against the door. Another clap of thunder rang outside.

"Poor you." Sirius snickered before walking around the corner to his room. Smug bastard!

"If you don't hurry up I'm forcing my way in, whether you're changed or not!" I threatened loudly.

The door swung open. Ginny stood there, tapping her foot and smirking, her damp hair pulled behind her in a braid. She looked clean compared to us, covered in chicken and pumpkin and flour.

"You boys can come in now."

We glared at her as Luna giggled, her hair also braided.

I walked in and opened my wardrobe. Pulling out a pyjama top and bottoms (that were slightly too big for me), I turned to the two girls.

"Could you girls get out while we change?" I asked as sweetly as Ginny had done, who was now crossing her arms.

"I guess we'll have to do this the hard way." Neville sighed, getting up, from the chair he'd slumped into to rummage through his bag. I nodded at him, threw my pyjamas onto the bed and started tickling them furiously.

"S-stop!" Ginny gasped through her laughter. A bit of her hair had slipped out of her ponytail and was now falling into her face, tickling her nose.

"W-we'll get out!" Luna promised, laughing, silver eyes alight with happiness. They stumbled out. I smirked.

"See you in fifteen minutes!"

Fifteen minutes later…

_"Harry James Potter and Neville Frank Longbottom_! If you don't open this door right now I'll be coming in and hexing you into next week!" Ginny screeched.

Is that even possible without a Time Turner…?

…actually, I'm not sure I want to know.

Neville and I grimaced, we actually had been ready ages ago, but decided to wait for the fifteen minutes to be over before we gave in. I stepped forward and cautiously opened the door, waiting for an attack.

Ginny looked pissed and Luna was smirking.

"Neville, it was nice knowing you." I said.

"You too, Harry." He gulped. I opened the door fully. Ginny stormed in while Luna just skipped. I closed the door and gave her a sheepish, pleading look.

"If you don't hurt me I'll give you information!" I said, getting on my knees and begging. Ginny pursed her lips.

She sighed and sat down on my bed next to Neville, while Luna lowered herself into my chair pulling her knees up under her chin.

"I'll forgive you this time." She said grudgingly. "But if you do it again you'll be six feet under."

I nodded eagerly as Neville coughed something that sounded suspiciously like "whipped". I glared at him while Luna giggled.

"Well." Ginny said, losing all reluctance at once. "What info?"

"Erm…did you know that Ron and Hermione were being specially trained?"

Judging by the shocked and furious faces, I was right in my assumption that they hadn't. Wow, I didn't know someone could look that angry!

Erm, is this just my crazy imagination, or did Ginny just grow fangs?

…nah, just my imagination.

_"By who_?"

"Dumbledore and three Aurors." I said grimly, flopping down between Neville and Ginny and placing my hands underneath my head.

"Stupid gits." Luna said idly, startling them into silence. We stared at her.

"What?" she said defensively. "Aren't I allowed to call people gits if I want to?"

"You are!" Ginny assured her. "I've just never seen this side of you. You should bring it out more often." Luna grinned happily at that, but only gave off a noncommittal "Mh"-sound as answer.

"Why would _they _need training when _you _were the one that fought V-Voldemort?" Neville stuttered over the word slightly, but forced himself to continue. "I mean, you've nearly died every year and they've just tagged along. They're like body guards." He finished with a grimace.

"Well that's what they're supposed to be now." I said heavily, shifting slightly. Ginny hissed like a very vicious cat, ready to attack.

_"Body guards_," She spat in a mocking voice. "Who do they think they're playing?"

"They think they're playing us!" Luna said suddenly, an idea sparking in her eyes. "They don't know we know what they're up to."

Neville and Ginny looked confused, but it slowly clicked together in my mind.

"We have an advantage." Luna went on without even a bit of dreaminess. "Yeah!" I quipped in. "We actually do have brains and don't lie every time we open our mouths!" Ginny rolled her eyes and hit my knee because it was the closest part of me she could reach. "No, you jerk." I widened my eyes. "You do not have a brain?" This time she smacked me with one of the pillows that weren't lying outside in the hallway. "Yes, we all have brains, but the real important thing is, that we have the element of surprise. I just don't know what we can _do_." She trailed of and Neville nodded resignedly.

"They haven't exactly done anything wrong." I sighed in frustration.

Ginny suddenly grinned scarily.

"Not unless we can get proof." She jumped up from the bed and dove for her bag. From the inside she pulled out a what looked like a Muggle video camera, except it had more buttons and knobs.

"And what's more better than this?"

"But what if they decide to fight back? They're the ones being trained!" Luna pointed out. I fidgeted slightly.

Should I tell them?

Maybe I'm not supposed to…

But I was given extra dragon charms…

I should tell them.

"Wait here." I said and ran to my trunk. I ran down the stairs, not bothering to look at my surroundings. I started searching the boxes at the bottom, trying to look for the extra charms.

Why couldn't these boxes be labeled?

As soon as I thought that, each box had a few words written on it, like _swords_ and _Charms books _and _socks_. I located the box with the trinkets in them immediately, because it was flashing brightly.

I picked it up and ran back upstairs.

My friends were still sitting, or in Ginny's case kneeling in the exact same spots I'd left them. They stared at me incredulously. I plopped down next to Ginny onto the bed again and quickly opened the box. I grabbed the seven charms I found in it and dumped them onto the bed. Luna stood up from the chair and sat down where I had been before I'd went onto my crazy mission into the trunk.

"Choose. They're the only way you can access my trunk." I said hastily. Each one had a different coloured ribbon and design on it.

Ginny touched one, but immediately pulled her hand back.

"It burned me!"

"Maybe – maybe it chooses you, like a wand. So…just keep touching them until you find one that doesn't burn you." I suggested and a bright flash of lightning flared outside. Ginny squeaked and dove behind us onto the bed and under blanket.

Luna was the first one to find hers pendant. It was silver, the ribbon light, sky blue with a beautiful unicorn rearing on the front.

Neville found his next. A green ribbon, with a bronze pendant and the picture of griffin about to take flight.

Ginny's ribbon was red. Her pendant was gold with a flying phoenix engraved and inked onto it.

"Wow." She breathed, examining it.

"Pretty." Luna sighed.

"Hey, there's a word on mine!" Neville exclaimed. We shushed him, looking towards the door. "Peace." He said more quietly.

"Me too." Ginny agreed. "Courage."

"Wisdom!" Luna chanted.

I lifted mine and twisted it so I was staring at the back. I raised an eyebrow.

"Cunning." I quoted.

"Describes you completely." Ginny said cheekily. Me, being the mature person that I am, stuck out my tongue at her.

They slipped the necklace over their heads.

"Whoa!" Ginny cried. "Everything just got more colourful!"

"And more…stranger." Neville said in wonder.

"Stranger?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep."

I grinned at him and lay back down. Then I sprang back up.

I forgot about those familiar eggs! Damn.

"Come on!" I cried, then froze. Someone was walking outside the door. I threw myself to the floor and pretended that I had been there the whole time. Ginny grabbed a blanket and threw it over her head as a loud clap of thunder sounded outside and the rain lashed even harder on the window. Neville grabbed a book and pretended to read it.

Thankfully it wasn't upside down.

Luna just sat there and stared out the window.

The door opened and revealed Sirius.

"What are you kids doing?" he asked cheerfully, although suspiciously. Huh, we must've been loud.

"Trying to get Ginny to get over her fear of storms." Luna said dreamily. The loud clap of thunder outside accented her story nicely.

"Come _on_, Gin." I exclaimed, not noticing that I abbreviated her name. "It's not _that _bad that you have to hide every time you hear thunder."

"Yes, it is."

We bickered a bit, hoping for Sirius to give up and go away. But, apart from Luna (and Neville, to a degree), we were the teenagers that usually got into trouble.

"What's that?" Sirius asked, pointing to the box with the trunk charms in it. I threw a blanket over it and said, "What's what?"

He raised an eyebrow and folded his arms over his chest.

"That box."

"What box?"

"The one you just covered with a blanket."

"What blanket?"

The others were trying to hide their laughter at my answers. Sirius tried not to grin.

"The one that you're sitting on."

"Oh, that blanket." I said, trying to make it look like I just realized. "It disappeared."

"How?"

"Neville ate it." I said, pointing towards him. Neville snickered but nodded earnestly.

"Why?"

"Because he was hungry."

"He just had dinner."

"He has a bottomless stomach."

"Right." Sirius looked at all the faces in the room. We put our arms on it (or in Luna's case, feet), and stared right back. "So if I leave, nothing suspicious will happen?"

"What do you deem "suspicious"?"

Sirius shook his head and left. As soon as we heard his footsteps downstairs we burst out laughing.

"That – _hic_ – that was probably the funniest – _hic_ – thing _ever_!" Neville gasped.

"We have to use that on McGonagall!" Ginny grinned.

"Yeah, if you want to go the same way as Nick, who had his neck hit with a blunt axe 46 times or something." I smirked at her, picking up the box, opening my trunk to the staircase and pushed the box down the slide. I waited until I heard the _thunk_ at the bottom before closing the lid.

I turned around and yawned, suddenly realizing how tired I was.

"Alright, I'll wake you all up early. We'll make sure Remus and Sirius aren't here and I'll show you the trunk." I whispered, dragging my blankets and pillows to the floor and turning out the light.

I tripped over Neville and stumbled onto the floor. Then lay down on my pillow and just managed to pull my blanket over me, before I fell asleep.

.

**Like it? Hate it? Burn it? Tell me!**


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